The first Europeans began exploration of the Australian continent in the 17th century.&nbsp; Dutch explorer Willem Janszoom landed in the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1606 and mapped some of the coastline.&nbsp; Later on Abel Tasman in 1642 reached ''Van Diemen's Land'' (now Tasmania) and in 1644 with three ships (Limmen, Zeemeeuw &amp;&nbsp;Braek) he mapped the north coast of Australia. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James Cook took possession in the name of Great Britain.&nbsp; Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.&nbsp; The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II.&nbsp; In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy.

The first Europeans began exploration of the Australian continent in the 17th century.&nbsp; Dutch explorer Willem Janszoom landed in the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1606 and mapped some of the coastline.&nbsp; Later on Abel Tasman in 1642 reached ''Van Diemen's Land'' (now Tasmania) and in 1644 with three ships (Limmen, Zeemeeuw &amp;&nbsp;Braek) he mapped the north coast of Australia. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James Cook took possession in the name of Great Britain.&nbsp; Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.&nbsp; The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II.&nbsp; In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy.

−

= Jurisdictions =

+

== Jurisdictions ==

The States and Territories of Australia include:&nbsp;

The States and Territories of Australia include:&nbsp;

Line 45:

Line 45:

*[[Northern Territory, Australia|Northern Territory]] (NT)

*[[Northern Territory, Australia|Northern Territory]] (NT)

*[[Torres Strait Island|Torres Strait Islands]]

*[[Torres Strait Island|Torres Strait Islands]]

−

−

----

== Resources ==

== Resources ==

−

*[[Australia Websites]]<br>

+

*[[Australia Websites]]

−

*[http://www.nla.gov.au/app/eresources/browse/123 The National Library of Australia]:&nbsp; This site can be an Australian resident researchers delight, for, as well as having access to genealogical indexes, databases, full-text ejournals, subject guides and websites, you can, after registering for a Library Card, access a variety of items online these include; 19th Century British Library Newspapers, London Times Digital Archive 1785-1985, The Illustrated London News Historical Archive 1842-2003,&nbsp;[http://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ Irish Newspaper Archives], and Indexes of Australian newspapers amongst many others on offer.<br>

+

*[http://www.nla.gov.au/app/eresources/browse/123 The National Library of Australia]:&nbsp; This site can be an Australian resident researchers delight, for, as well as having access to genealogical indexes, databases, full-text ejournals, subject guides and websites, you can, after registering for a Library Card, access a variety of items online these include; 19th Century British Library Newspapers, London Times Digital Archive 1785-1985, The Illustrated London News Historical Archive 1842-2003,&nbsp;[http://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ Irish Newspaper Archives], and Indexes of Australian newspapers amongst many others on offer.

*[http://net.lib.byu.edu/fslab/researchoutlines/Pacific/Australia.pdf Family History Library Research Outline for Australia]

*[http://net.lib.byu.edu/fslab/researchoutlines/Pacific/Australia.pdf Family History Library Research Outline for Australia]

*(helpful tools and resources, gazetteers)

*(helpful tools and resources, gazetteers)

Line 59:

Line 57:

== Help Wanted ==

== Help Wanted ==

−

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">In order to make this wiki a better research tool, we need your help! Many tasks need to be done. You can help by:</span>

+

<span style="font-family: arial" class="Apple-style-span" /><span style="font-family: arial" class="Apple-style-span">In order to make this wiki a better research tool, we need your help! Many tasks need to be done. You can help by:</span>

*[http://www.nla.gov.au/ The National Library of&nbsp; Australia] has many articles including, [http://www.pictureaustralia.org/index.html Photos, ][http://trove.nla.gov.au/ Newspaper articles] and much more. [http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home Historic Australian Newspapers 1803 to 1954]

*[http://www.nla.gov.au/ The National Library of&nbsp; Australia] has many articles including, [http://www.pictureaustralia.org/index.html Photos, ][http://trove.nla.gov.au/ Newspaper articles] and much more. [http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home Historic Australian Newspapers 1803 to 1954]

Revision as of 22:16, 6 July 2011

Australia was first settled by Europeans in 1788 with the arrival (at Botany Bay on the south-east coast) of three English ships with more than 1000 convicts and military personnel, known today as the 'First Fleeters.' The site was found to be unsuitable so a few days later the colony moved to Port Jackson at Sydney Cove. The second fleet arrived in 1790 and saved the colony from starvation. The third fleet arrived in 1791 and included the first Irish transportees. The first free settler immigrants arrived in 1793. The expanding colony became known as New South Wales.

Click on a state on the map to go to that state's page.

Contents

Getting started with Australian research

The first Europeans began exploration of the Australian continent in the 17th century. Dutch explorer Willem Janszoom landed in the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1606 and mapped some of the coastline. Later on Abel Tasman in 1642 reached Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) and in 1644 with three ships (Limmen, Zeemeeuw & Braek) he mapped the north coast of Australia. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James Cook took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy.

Resources

The National Library of Australia: This site can be an Australian resident researchers delight, for, as well as having access to genealogical indexes, databases, full-text ejournals, subject guides and websites, you can, after registering for a Library Card, access a variety of items online these include; 19th Century British Library Newspapers, London Times Digital Archive 1785-1985, The Illustrated London News Historical Archive 1842-2003, Irish Newspaper Archives, and Indexes of Australian newspapers amongst many others on offer.

Featured Content

Did you know

Convicts were transported from Ireland to Australia starting in 1788. The National Archives of Ireland holds a wide range of records about this. The Ireland-Australia Transportation database is compiled from such records as the transportation registers, convict reference files and petitions to government for pardon or commutation of sentence. The database is not complete for every convict.

The Heraldry & Genealogy Society of Canberra, Australia, is publishing South African Graves, a database of burial and memorial locations of Australians who died during the second South African Anglo-Boer War, 1899 – 1902.

(All text below this is included in a column on the left side of the screen.)